New state report says prepare 1 week of supplies to survive Cascadia quake

Snips from article>
We take seriously the findings of the Oregon Seismic Safety Policy Advisory Commission, obtained by The Oregonian's Richard Read. Most striking among them is a new situation described by Read as infrastructure gridlock: devastation from the coast through the Willamette Valley in which emergency crews are stalled by the absence of electrical power and scarcity of fuels. While fires burn and survivors clamber for food and water, the pain and panic would last longer than ever. The report, Read found, upsets the long-held assumption that 72 hours of preparedness are enough.

It's time to get real about this. If we accept that fully retrofitting western Oregon to withstand a magnitude 9 event is implausible in the near term, then what? Answer: the ability of every uninjured individual and family to sit tight, requiring little to no public assistance, for a week or more.

It sounds simple but isn't. It requires that Oregonians map a plan, lay in provisions and water, learn how to shut down gas and other utilities, manage human waste, see in the dark, stay warm, assign responsibilities, collaborate with neighbors and otherwise remain unhysterical. Oh, it would be nice to know going in that earthquake insurance for homeowners is current and that medical paperwork is nearby to inform late-arriving responders.
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2013/02/in_a_post-quake_oregon_being_a.html

5. Having lived in CA for 38 years,

I'm pretty well versed with earthquake preparation, with what to do during the quake, and with the aftermath.

I haven't specifically prepared for a quake here. I always have extra water on hand, because I have to have it anyway. In case of power failure, I have to be able to flush and to water the horses. The water comes from the well, pumped up by electricity, which is the only utility to shut down. I also have plenty of flashlights, lanterns, and candles in case of power outages, and generally keep some canned and dried food on hand. I could manage for a week; by the end of that week, I'd be walking my horses a couple of miles to the river to drink.

The longest outage we've had in the 8 years I've lived here was for about 48 hours. It was fine, and since it was summer, the long days helped deal with the absolute dark we experience without electricity; I was mostly asleep when it was really dark. In the winter, it would be harder.

I've never thought Oregon was "safe" as far as earthquakes go; I live in sight of the 3 sisters. I do enjoy, though, not expecting earthquakes on a regular basis.